Tales of Republic City
by Shaky Tiger
Summary: Or: May You Live in Interesting Times. If this all goes as planned, this is going to be a collection of unrelated one-shots, drabbles and stories that all tie together later. Mainly focuses OC's because we never see the consequences of the canon characters' actions, like Tarrlok's laws, what happens to Equalized!Benders and Triad activity. Please review, I'd appreciate feedback
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Just in case there was any confusion. I don't own either A:tLA or LOK, those honors go to their creators.**

The Tale of Feiying

* * *

"C'mon, break damn you! Break!" Feiying swore under his breath and sighed, letting out a small plume of flame, briefly lighting up his face. Trust him to stow away on the ship of a company that used strong crates. It wasn't that he was too weak to break wood. He liked to think he was fairly strong. But it was cramped inside the crate, so he had very little room to build up the power he needed. Unless... Peering through a knothole in the crate's side, Feiying smiled. He didn't see anyone nearby. Sure, he promised his mother he wouldn't firebend in the city. But technically, it wasn't breaking that promise if no one saw him, right? Right. Nodding to himself, and confident in his flawless logic, Feiying took a deep breath and held his fist an inch away from the crate's wall. He really hoped this worked. Otherwise, he'd feel like a massive idiot and probably break his hand.

Meanwhile, outside in the streets, the crate sat there. Ignored by the hustle and bustle of the city docks. But if anyone was paying attention, they'd be just in time to see twin jets of flame to burst through the crate wall and a man on top of a pile of smoldering cabbages spill out.

Feiying scrambled to his feet with a wider grin on his face and rubbed a sore spot on the back of his neck, shipping crates had to be the worst way to travel. But, he just had to get to Republic City and he couldn't really afford the boat trip; he was a student after all. Feiying was a young man of both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom descent. He had lean muscles, with tan skin, golden eyes and long black hair, tied into a low ponytail. He also wore simple clothes, a brown duster, a gray Tang-style shirt with knotted buttons and a pair of black pants, with a dark red sash tied around his waist.

Dusting himself off, Feiying sniffed his coat and wrinkled his nose in disgust. It would take forever to get the smell of burnt cabbage out of his clothes. But, that's what he got for being a stowaway.

Well, that and a very sore neck..

Still elated over the success of his brilliant escape plan; the young firebender reached back into the crate, pulling out a canvas sack and a long rod wrapped in cloth. And after searching his pockets and bag, Feiying found at least twenty five yuan, more than enough for lunch and possibly dinner if he got lost. Straightening his coat, the young firebender took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled, taking in the sights and sounds.

Despite the massive gap in between the rich and poor, as well as a unusually large homeless population, no matter how wise and noble they may be, Republic City lived up to its reputation. As one of the major urban centers of the world, people from all four nations traveled here to seek their fortunes or start fresh. Benders could take a chance at fame by becoming Pro-Bending champions, find easy work at the power plant or even join the police force. Even if you were a non-bender, employment couldn't be too hard to come by, as long as you had the talent, that is. It was part of the its charm, after all, the dream that people from all four nations could coexist. And no place better reflected this dream than the Republic City Docks. Here, ships came in every day, carrying goods, ready to be bought and sold to a public craving the exotic and people from foreign lands, ready to see the city for themselves. Here, citizens from all walks of life set up shops, selling their wares; freshly caught seafood, supplies for ships coming into and leaving port, restaurants and warehouses, each contributing to the vibrant atmosphere that helped make the city unique. It was everything his grandfather had written about in his letters and more.

"MY CABBAGES! YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS!"

But, none of this really mattered to Feiying at the moment. Right now, he had to outrun an angry shopkeeper screaming about produce. Laughing wildly, Feiying shouldered his bag and ran off, dodging the man's waterbending strikes. This was what he loved about the city, it was so full of energy. And lucky for him, he'd be here for a long time to enjoy every last moment of it. Now, which way was his grandfather's shop?

The voice continued shouting over the crowd. "HELP! SOMEONE! POLICE!"

Feiying ducked into a crowd and popped the collar of his jacket to hide his face. Meeting up with his grandfather would have to wait. And hopefully, he could stay out of trouble for the rest of the day. After all, his grandfather wouldn't be too happy if he got arrested on his first day in town.

Weaving his way through the crowd, Feiying calmly and coolly made his way to the dock entrance. And he was only a few feet away when he felt something wrap around his arm. Something very strong and very wet. Hoping it was just a giant pentapus, Feiying whirled around and saw a man dressed in blue clothes and a dirty apron with an angry expression on his hawk-like face. The angry man was also holding a water whip in his hand which wrapped around Feiying's arm.

The man narrowed his blue eyes and jerked his hand back, forcing the young firebender to stumble forward a few steps. "Alright kid, now you're gonna pay for those cabbages. One bone for each head you ruined."

Feiying tried to pull his hand back. But, the shopkeeper gave the water whip another sharp tug, forcing him forward a few more steps. Smiling nervously, Feiying's eyes darted left and right; hopefully, he could find something to break the man's concentration and with it, his bending. "Say, isn't that a Polar Bear Dog barreling straight down the boardwalk?"

The shopkeeper sneered. "Kid, you've gotta have seaweed for a brain if you think that old trick's gonna work on me."

Feiying smiled and pointed behind him. "It's no trick. Behind you!"

Looking over his shoulder, the shopkeeper's eyes widened as, a girl riding a Polar Bear Dog ran straight past them.

Feiying smirked, the man just made a huge mistake, he broke eye contact and created an opening. Taking a deep breath, the young firebender spat out a burst of flame at the shopkeep's feet. The man shouted and held his arms in front of his eyes, shielding himself from the flames. And the water whip fell to the ground with a splash.

Without hesitation, Feiying turned and ran towards the dock entrance and continued running for a few blocks before ducking into an alley, laughing to himself as he sat against the wall. The stories were true, Republic City was a fun town. But, there was something nagging at the back of his mind ever since he arrived. Something that his grandfather's letters home always mentioned, the Equalists. Who were they? What did they want? And why weren't the police doing anything? Well, if they weren't someone would have to. After all, it wasn't like the Avatar would be coming to Republic City any time soon.

Getting back to his feet, Feiying shouldered his bag, grabbed the cloth-wrapped rod and stepped out of the alley with new-found determination burning in his golden eyes. Republic City needed heroes.

_ -__Guuuuuuuuuuuurmmmh-_

Yes, Republic City needed heroes, right after lunch.

Feiying looked to the left and to the right, it looked like the angry Water Tribe man from the docks wasn't following him anymore. Great, now all he had to do was find his way to the Dragon Flats district.

_-Muuuuuuuurrrrrrblllllle-_

Moaning in hunger, Feiying took out a map from his pants pocket and stared at it as he walked. If he was reading it right, he was a few blocks away from the Central City Station. Feiying started slowly walking in the general direction he thought the Station was in, clutching his stomach. He needed food and needed it now.

**AN: For the record, I've always been convinced that water bending requires a crazy amount of concentration. Moreso than the other elements since they actually have to mold the water into different shapes as well as move it. Also, the Tang-style are the shirts in the Avatar verse with the buttons running down the front. Here's a link explaining it on Tumblr: atla-annotated. tumblr post/27686388438/i-was-asked-about-zukos-workout-vest-the**


	2. Chapter 2

The Tale of Xiulan

_"Ugh... Why won't the light shut up?"_

Xiulan rolled over in her bed with a moan, wincing at the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. Thank the spirits she wasn't a firebender; she simply wasn't meant to rise with the sun, as far as she was concerned, the morning was evil. Burying herself deeper in her covers, Xiulan allowed herself to drift off back to sleep. And she was just getting into her favorite dream, only one knockout from winning the pro-bending championships, when she realized she was forgetting something. Did her mom need her to buy milk? No, they still had half a bottle in the icebox. Was it the laundry? No, it was hanging on the line outside. It had to be important though. Otherwise, it wouldn't be nagging at her during one of her favorite dreams.

Therefore, it had to do with either her job or university. And she knew she didn't have class today. So, what was it?

…

…

…

"I'M LATE FOR WORK!"

Xiulan frantically swung herself upright and sprung out of bed. Before tripping over her sheets and falling flat on her face. Angrily cursing the morning, she kicked the sheets off and scrambled to her feet. Despite being seventeen years old, her short stature made her look younger. Something that upset her greatly. Her long brown hair was knotted and cowlicks stuck out in odd places but still managed frame a pale, heart-shaped face with blue eyes. Her parents were both Water Tribesmen; her mother was from the Norther Water tribe while her father was from the Foggy Swamp and moved to Republic City to find work.

Swearing under her breath, Xiulan stomped over to the bathroom of her family's modest apartment. Splashing water into her face with waterbending and drying herself off; she angrily glared at the mirror, almost as if staring at her reflection would buy her some time. She then quickly ran a brush through her hair, untangling some of the more troublesome knots. Before giving up moments later and throwing the brush into the sink with a growl. She didn't have time for this, she was already on thin ice with her boss as it was. The young waterbender stomped back to her room, threw open her closet door and put on her clothes for the day; a knee-length dark blue skirt, a sleeveless white mandarin-style top with blue trim and a pair of black cloth shoes.

Running into the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of bread from the breadbox and hastily scribbled a note to her mother before grabbing her uniform, a dull white cloth apron and heading out the door, letting it slam behind her.

_"Another day, another yuan."_

The saying rang through her head as she sprinted down the terrace towards the stairs. For one reason or another, she never liked it. It wasn't that it didn't make sense to her. Rather, there was something about it that just didn't sound right. Shaking her head, she ran a bit faster down the stair, skipping the last few steps. She didn't have time to think about old sayings, her boss would kill her if she was late again. Or worse, dock her pay. And she really wanted a few bowls of Narook's later. Brushing past a rather confused looking young man with a black ponytail wearing a brown duster, Xiulan muttered a quick apology before continuing on her way. She knew her boss would be angry about her being late for work. Again. For the third time this week. Jumping onto a nearby trolley, she sat down and tried to come up with a decent excuse. Suddenly, a Water Tribe girl riding a Polar Bear Dog ran past the trolley, shaking her from her thoughts. Who in their right mind would try to ride one of those things? She heard the stories her mother told her about those beasts; about how young Water Tribesmen hunted Polar Bear Dogs as a test of bravery only occasionally to end up as the hunted themselves. Now, what to say to her boss?

When Xiulan did get to work at Lau's Sundries, a nearby grocery store, her boss was waiting for her, arms folded across his chest. He was a rather large man with a shaved head and long beard wearing a dirty apron around his waist. His face was slightly red with rage and sweaty from the heat. "XIULAN! WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN? YOUR SHIFT STARTED AN HOUR AGO!"

Xiulan laughed nervously, twiddled her fingers. "I tried to get here boss on time, I really did. But, when I got on the trolley, some crazy girl on a Polar Bear Dog chased by metalbending cops barreled past and caused a massive traffic jam."

"Ordinarily I'd have to dock your pay by a week for such a ridiculous story. But, I saw part of that chase pass by the shop earlier. So I know you're not lying; you're just gonna have to work double shifts for the next few weeks instead. Now take the counter! I'll be in the back" Her boss turned and walked off to the back room, slamming the door behind him and locking the door.

"Yes Mr. Lau..." Sighing to herself, Xiulan let her head hit the counter and settled in for another long, boring day at work. Not only did she have to work double shifts, but she still had that History test next week and Prof. Chen was an impossible grader. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

_"Yessiree. Another day, another yuan."_


	3. Chapter 3

The Tale of Yujin

_ "Huh?"_

_"Ugh... what happened last night?"_

Yujin groggily opened his eyes to the harsh glow of a single light bulb hanging from an unfamiliar ceiling. Sitting up and looking around, he saw a sparsely decorated room complete with a dripping sink and toilet. There was only one door to the room and it was made of iron bars. No doubt about it, this was a jail cell and he was the jail bird. Sighing to himself, he created a small flame in the palm of his hand, briefly lighting up his face. Snarling, the firebender clenched his fists and put out the little flame, leaving him in the darkness once more. He hit his head against the wall behind him in frustration, the dull thud of skin and bone on metal echoed throughout the cell. At least the pain took his mind off of the leaky faucet.

The young man sighed to himself. Well, this was certainly a fine kettle of fish. Today started out normal enough. He woke up, got some dumplings from his favorite stand for breakfast, almost got run over by a giant Polar Bear Dog, got kidnapped by chi-blockers near the pro-bending arena. Wait a minute... Polar Bear Dogs don't live anywhere near Republic City. And the most certainly aren't ridden by girls. More to the point, not even the most fervent of Equalists were bold enough to attack in broad daylight, and near the pro-bending arena at that. Clearly, there was only one logical explanation.

_"This is all a dream!"_

Yujin nodded at his sound logic. This was just some crazy dream brought on by drinking too much leechi juice before bed. That had to be it. Yujin noted that this dream was far more realistic than the ones he usually had. All that was missing was that cute Water Tribe girl from his History class...

The sound of rattling keys shook him from his thoughts; looking up he saw the cell door slide back with a clank and a group of five people walked into his cell. Four of them wore gray uniforms and gas masks fitted with green lenses that just seemed to glow, undoubtedly chi-blockers. The fifth one stood in the center of the group. He stood taller than the other four, his hands clasped firmly behind his back, his very presence. The man wore gray uniform, similar to what the one the chi-blockers wore with a hood pulled over his head. But, it was the mask that got Yujin's attention; it wasn't anything complex, a white mask with gold accents framing the side of the face. What really stood out was the large red circle at the forehead's center, staring at him like a large third eye. Even in the poor lighting, there was no mistaking the man standing before him, he had seen that face on Equalist posters plastered all over the city. It was the leader of their so-called revolution, their savior, Amon.

The Equalist leader stared at the young firebender, the tone of his voice calm yet forceful and commanding. "I see you're our latest prisoner. Tell me, what do you think of the accommodations?"

The young firebender jumped to his feet and spat at the ground. "They're down right cozy. Now, what do you want with me?"

Amon chuckled, something that sent a chill through Yujin's body and signaled for the other chi-blockers to leave. "The Avatar has failed to restore balance to the world. As such, spirits have chosen me as humanity's savior and have given me a very unique ability to fulfill those duties. Like any other ability, I need practice to perfect it. Now, with the Avatar's arrival in Republic City, I have no choice but to accelerate my plans. You should be honored. After all, it's not every day someone is cleansed of their impurity."

_"This jerk loved to lay it on thick, doesn't he?"_

Yujin snarled and shot a jet of flame from his mouth. However, Amon was unfazed and calmly sidestepped the firebender's attack. Kicking him to his knees, the Equalist leader got behind Yujin and clamped a hand on the back of his neck, jerking his head back. Yujin's eyes widened as Amon firmly pressed a thumb onto his forehead. He felt something work its way though him. It was like a healer's waterbending; only something was off, it felt wrong, it felt evil. He could feel his inner fire slowly dying, until he felt nothing but cold inside.

Amon took a few steps back and placed his hands behind his back. "Well? How do you feel?"

Yujin spun around and threw a punch at Amon, expecting to shoot a fireball at the Equalist leader. Except nothing happened; no fireball, not even a measly little ember. He threw another punch, nothing happened again. He tried kicking, still nothing. Amon did say something about the spirits giving him some sort of special power earlier. But, that's impossible. He couldn't, right? Only the Avatar had that sort of power, right? This had to be a trick. But here he was, he couldn't bend and Amon was smugly standing over him.

Amon leaned down and stared at Yujin in the eyes, his voice still calm. "I asked you a question. How do you feel?"

The debended young man responded by throwing one last punch aimed at Amon's mask.

The Equalist leader calmly blocked Yujin's fist and threw a lightning quick jab at the side of his neck, knocking the young ex-firebender out cold. Standing up straighter, he signaled to the group of chi-blockers waiting outside the cell. "Take this one to the Lieutenant, he'll know what to do..."

After all, what was more terrifying than an enemy fighting against their former comrades? What could be more inspiring than a conversion of the enemy?

The next time Yujin woke up, he was stuck in absolute darkness and stripped down to his underwear. Sighing to himself, he settled in for a long night. Until a mustached man wearing a specialized version of an Equalist uniform with a pair of sticks strapped to his back.

_"Must be the Lieutenant... Huh, I was expecting someone taller."_

Before the young firebender could say anything. The Lieutenant grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall. The impact sent Yujin's mind reeling and he regained focus just in time for the Lieutenant to press the tip of one of those sticks into him, sending an electric shock through his body. "Are you ready to become part of the Revolution?"

Yujin spat on the man's goggles.

Wiping the spit off the lens, the Lieutenant calmy put his weapon away and Yujin's body crumpled to the ground with a thud. Smirking, the Lieutenant gave the body a swift kick for good measure. If Amon's plan worked, he'd come around in a few days.

The next week passed by quickly for Yujin. Between Lieutenant's beatings, special 'therapy' sessions and solitary confinement, everything just seemed to blur together. Naturally, he resisted. But, with each day he felt his mind crumble more and more. With each session, he found himself agreeing with their cause more and more. Until one day, the door to his metal prison opened, flooding it with light; standing in the doorway was the Lieutenant who sneered and threw a bundle of clothes at him. "Get dressed and go down this hallway and take a left. The next tram should go to the training camp."

Yujin grabbed the clothes and clutched them tightly to his chest. The young ex-firebender looked worse for ware. His skin much paler and dark bags formed under his golden eyes. His black hair looked stringy and knotted. Donning the Equalists uniform and stepped out of his cell and made his way towards the trams. There was only one thing going through his mind. One thing that echoed over and over in his head, a new mantra. A message to be spread to the masses.

_"I have been cleansed of my impurities. And for that, I am grateful..."_

* * *

**AN: I first wanted to write about a bender that willingly turned himself in to Amon to be de-bended. But, that was too difficult to write. So, I decided to take the easy way out have the Equalists break a former bender's will until he's 'rehabilitated' and becomes a loyal member of the Revolution. Sort of like the Chinese Communists dealt with enemies of the party during the Cultural Revolution. How did I do? Personally, I think I could have detailed the rehabilitation a bit more.**

**I'm just going to answer this question now.**

**Q. Why's the Lieutenant running the rehabilitation?**

**A. Because, I personally think that Amon's the brains and face of the Equalists. He's the one that establishes the programs, handles the rallies and takes care of the organizational aspects of the Revolution. While the Lieutenant takes care of the messier work. That includes rehabilitating former benders. Something that I imagine that he'd enjoy immensely.**_  
_


	4. Chapter 4

The Tale of Jiayi

_ "Don't tell me I got lost again..."_

Jiayi sighed and checked her map for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. She tilted it to the left. She tilted it to the right. She even tried looking at it upside down. But, no matter what she did, it just didn't make any sense. Jiayi scratched her head and lowered the map to check her surroundings. She didn't know where exactly she was. But, based on the smell of garbage mixed with stale cactus juice and the brick wall staring her in the face, she knew two things. First, this was one of Republic City's many alleyways. And second, this definitely no where near her brother's apartment in Dragon Flats. Jiayi came to the city to live with her brother during her time at the prestigious Republic City University. She knew it probably would have been easier to take a cab to the apartment. But, she didn't know her way around the city. Sighing in frustration, Jiayi folded up her map and stuffed it back in her bag. She never should have let her brother draw the stupid thing, he always gave the worst directions.

At eighteen years old, the young woman was an Earth Kingdom girl with tan skin and shoulder-length black hair and jade green eyes. She wore a dark green mandarin-style top with yellow trim and narrow sleeves, a yellow cloth belt wrapped around her waist and a pair of black pants with short brown boots. Her parents were both Earthbenders from Yu Dao, her father worked as a mechanic while her mother stayed at home and took care of the family. Her older brother, was a graduate of the Beifong Metalbending Academy and worked as a cop here in Republic City, her home for the next four years.

"Well, well, well, looks like someone's a little lost..."

Jiayi sighed and started wondering why she didn't just take a cab when she had the chance. Turning around, she saw a young man leaning against one of the alley walls. The young man with a cocky smirk and what looked like a bag of nuts in his hand. Based on appearances, Jiayi thought he was a piece of work, he had short black hair slicked back with far too much oil, smelled like he wore too much cologne and wore a dark green vest over a dirty white Tang-style shirt with a pair of black pants. But, she had been wrong before and Jiayi smiled politely, taking a few steps closer. "I don't suppose you know how to get to the Jinyan Tenement from here."

The young man smiled, taking a couple of walnuts from the bag and rolling them around in his hand. "That's in Dragon Flats, right? I sure do, and I'd be more than happy to show you. But first, you gotta do something for me."

Jiayi's eyes widened, she sat through enough radio dramas to know where this was going and she didn't like it. So, she tried to walk past the man and make her way back to the streets. "Sorry, but I'm spoken for. Besides, I'm in a bit of a hurry."

The young man stepped in front of her and crushed the nuts in his hand, letting the shells fall to the ground. His cocky smirk turning into a harsh sneer. "I don't think you quite understand. You see, that was a rhetorical question. But, since I'm a nice guy, I'm gonna repeat it nice and slow. I. Like. You. And, I want you to be my forever girl. So, whaddya say?"

Jiayi rolled her eyes, he really doesn't know when to quit does he? That was, without a doubt, the absolute worst pickup line she'd ever heard. The young woman continued to walk past him. "I'm sorry, but I really am in a bit of a hurry..."

The young man grabbed her by the shoulder. "I don't think you quite understand this. I want you to be my girl. And, I always get what I want."

"And I don't think you quite understand that NO MEANS NO!" The Earthbender girl shifted her feet and threw a back fist, flashing a wicked looking smile when a pillar of earth rose out of the ground and pinned the young man to the wall. Running a hand through her hair, she turned up her nose and walked out of the alley, ignoring the angry screams of the man behind her.

Reaching the street, Jiayi looked around and realized she was near City Hall. More importantly, there was a huge crowd gathering in front of it. No doubt someone was holding a press conference. Shrugging, Jiayi turned around and started walking in the direction she thought Dragon Flats was in. She always hated the way those press conferences shut down the city over something she could have learned through reading the paper. After all, it wasn't like the Avatar was in the city or anything.

* * *

**AN: I realized the last one was a bit rushed. So, I tweaked some of the dialogue and added some details. I hope this versions better.**


	5. Chapter 5

A Minor Setback

* * *

He made it.

It had taken him a few hours to get there; a quick snack, several near misses with oncoming Satomobiles and many, many wrong turns. But, Feiying finally made it to Central City Station. Feiying took a deep breath and smiled, taking everything in; the people taking lazing around on the plaza's many benches, taking breaks from their jobs, the street performers performing their acts, trying to make some quick yuan, the sounds of city traffic around him mingling with the loud calls of hawkers selling their wares. Even now, he still couldn't believe he was in Republic City, in the midst of everything. And nothing, not even the screams of a fighting group of children could spoil this moment.

_"Waitaminute, what?"_

Feiying whipped his head around, hitting himself in the face with his ponytail in the process. Spitting out a few loose hairs, the young Firebender saw a group of four teenage boys, probably around fourteen or fifteen years old at the most, most likely street urchins, picking on a younger girl. Sighing to himself, Feiying rolled his neck, wincing at each crack it made and stomped over to give them a piece of his mind. Whether it was here, or back home in Yu Dao; no matter where he went, some things never changed. And besides he technically wouldn't be breaking his promise if he used firebending to defend a girl's honor, right? Of course not, he just had to hold back a little.

Meanwhile, the teenagers continued their bullying, unaware of that Feiying was walking towards them. In fact, they didn't notice him until the angry firebender gave one of them a hotfoot. They didn't stop until he got a few feet closer and shot a jet of fire past the another, singing the collar of his shirt. And they didn't run away, screaming and stumbling over each other; until he threw a low kick, sending a line of fire into the ground in front of them. As soon as he was sure the four boys were gone, Feiying turned to the crying girl. "Hey kid, what's your name?"

The girl sniffled and looked up at Feiying, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. "Um... H-homura... I'm Homura."

The young firebender smiled and placed a hand on her head. "Well then Homura, I can personally guarantee you that those bullies won't be bothering you for a while."

The girl sniffled again and hugged him before looking up at him with the biggest puppy dog eyes he'd ever seen. "Really?"

Feiying blinked for a moment before chuckling and returning the hug. "Really really. Now small child, why don't you be a good little city child and find your parents. They must be worried sick about you."

Feiying smiled as he watched the young girl happily run off and disappear into the crowds. Yes, it made him feel better knowing that he did the right thing and... Wait, weren't those the same boys that he chased off earlier? Feiying squinted to try and get a better look. And sure enough, those were the same boys that were picking on that little girl mere moments ago, only now they were talking to her and laughing as she handed each of them a few yuan bills. The question was, where did that girl get the money? As far as he knew, she didn't... Wait a minute... Feiying's eyes widened and he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. The money he was saving for lunch and dinner had mysteriously vanished, all twenty four yuan worth of it.

_"Well, son of a poodle-pony, I've been robbed."_

Sighing to himself, Feiying simply trudged over to the statue of Fire Lord Zuko and sat at its feet. The young firebender shook his head, he wanted to get that money back. But, he couldn't simply march over and take it from them. Feiying leaned back and rest his head against the statue's base; even at his lowest and most dishonorable, he'd never sink to stealing from children. It just wouldn't be right, what with shaming the family and all.

_-Mmmuuurrrbbbllleee-_

Feiying groaned and clutched his stomach. Besides, the young firebender thought to himself, blowing out a plume of flame, Grandpa Baiying always said a little suffering was good for you, right? Feiying nodded, Grandpa's words of wisdom had yet to steer him wrong.

_-Mmmuuurrrbbbllleee-_

Aaannnddd, that was enough suffering for one day. Now, he had to make some money. Feiying looked at the cloth-wrapped rod briefly before shaking his head. No, no matter how desperate he was, he wouldn't use that until the time was right.

Sighing, Feiying stood up, took a deep breath and hoped his mother would forgive him for breaking his promise one last time. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Girls and Boys! Step right up! Witness traditional feats of Firebending skill and prowess!"

* * *

**AN: Just so you know, the updates for this story are gonna be a bit less frequent from here on out. I'm in college again and I don't think I'm going to have enough time on my hands to write new chapters as often as I'd like. So, please be patient and I promise I'll do my best to write something good. But, until then, please leave a review or something... I love hearing what people think.**


	6. Chapter 6

Training

* * *

Yujin learned many things after "converting" to the Equalist cause. He learned just how far the oppression and corruption of bending elite reached in Republic City and how far they would go to maintain the unfairness of the status quo. He learned that Amon had a certain captain of industry on his side, supplying the Equalists with money and wonderful new weapons to use in the fight against their oppressors. He learned how to recognize the many secret signs and codes of his brothers and sisters in the Revolution.

However, none of these compared to learning Chi-blocking. He had to admit, he could see similarities between Chi-blocking and Firebending; one of many reasons he picked it up quickly, not that he'd let anyone know that. Although both styles were swift and aggressive, it was so different from Firebending and in his opinion, more practical. For starters, there were no unnecessary movements in Chi-blocking. It was a direct fighting style which telegraphed nothing; punches and kicks could lead into locks, defense easily could become offense and so on. He also liked that there weren't any grounded stances, like those found in traditional bending. A chi-blocker was expected to be light on their feet like those pro-benders everyone seemed to idolize so much. But, unlike pro-benders, who traded stability and power for speed and showmanship, chi-blockers were not only agile enough to dodge a bender's assault, but also still powerful enough to overpower them and end things quickly. They knew that the weakness of all benders was close-range combat, once a chi-blocker got in close, the fight was theirs.

Yujin enjoyed every minute of his training. He savored the thrill of watching a bender's eyes widen as they were forced to fight at his level and fail miserably. He reveled in the feeling of power he had over them when they fell at his feet, their arms and legs limp as wet noodles. He loved all of it.

It was glorious.

That being said, Yujin also learned that training in Chi-blocking was not without its difficulties. First, there was the sheer amount of studying before he was even allowed onto the practice floor. Using the acupuncture diagrams provided to him by the instructors, he had to memorize the names of each pressure point, which meridians they were associated with and what effects they had on the body when blocked before he was even allowed onto the practice floor. And then there were the acrobatics. After all, not all chi-blockers were naturally graceful. So, to improve their coordination and balance, the instructors would have everyone in the tr While instructors threw bolo at their feet. It was bitter work, but Yujin knew it was worth it the first time he managed to climb over a wall made by a rather desperate earthbender and finish him off.

Then, there were the difficulties unique to him and him alone. Even though he knew in his heart that he was a loyal Equalist, a humble servant of Amon, his body was still convinced it was a Firebender. And every once in a while, he subconsciously assumed a Firebending stance in a sparring match or accidentally made circular motions with his arms to build up power before throwing a punch. And he suspected...

"Yujin!"

A loud shout snapped Yujin from his reverie.

The instructor, a lean-looking older gentleman with a bald head looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You ready to start working through those drills any time soon or are you going to keep making eyes at the practice dummy?"

The young Equalist sighed and shook his head before jabbing his fingers into the dummy's marked pressure points. "I'm sorry Hao, my mind was somewhere else at the moment."

Hao snorted, there was only one thing he hated more than benders, and that was lazy students. "Alright then Yujin, since your mind's been wandering so much lately. You're gonna help me teach something to the new recruits!"

Yujin froze mid-jab. Out of all the Chi-blocking instructors, Hao had a reputation for being the sort of teacher who got very rough during demonstrations. "M-m-me!? Why me?"

The older man smiled and leaned in closer. Yujin couldn't help but notice the smell of cigarettes on his breath. "Because, you're one of the least-skilled students in the room right now. Besides, if you do get hit, maybe it'll knock some sense into that empty head of yours!"

_"Knock some sense into me? Somehow, I'm not exactly reassured..."_

Yujin sighed and made his way to the center of the practice floor, waiting patiently for Hao to round up the other students.

"Everyone gather up! Novices up front! Yes, that means you, Hasook!" Hao clapped his hands and paced in front of the lines of other Chi-blockers, taking the time to glare at some of the weaker-willed recruits. "Alright, pay attention since I'm only gonna do this once! We've been working through our drills for a while now, both on the dummies and live targets. But, the real test of skill is if you can land those hits against a moving target. Yujin and I'll demonstrate."

Yujin fidgeted in place, wondering why Hao didn't just punch him in the face and get it over with. That's right, he knew the man had it in for him. But, he wisely chose to say nothing.

"Yujin! Get over here!"

Once again, Hao's voice shook him from his thoughts. Nodding his head, Yujin walked over and stopped in front of Hao. The two men faced each other and bowed; they may have a tense relationship, but there's no reason to be rude about it. Then, they both put up a boxing guard and the fight began. The ex-firebender looked his opponent over carefully and his mind went into overdrive, looking for something, anything that could give him an edge in the fight.

_"His advantage: His skills. My advantage: My mind."_

Hao smirked and fired off a quick jab at Yujin's solar plexus. The ex-firebender barely had time to shift his weight and block. No time to think anymore, time to move. Besides, he had seen enough.

_ "First, dodge initial assault..."_

Yujin remained on the defensive. He bobbed and weaved through Hao's punches, blocked a kick to the stomach and pushed him back. Snarling, Hao launched two more jabs; this time, aimed at his face.

_ "Ah, the ol' One-Two, here's my rebuttal..." _

The ex-firebender parried the first blow and blocked the second. Snaking that arm around Hao's to trap it, Yujin landed a few quick jabs of his own at pressure points running up the arm, followed by one to the shoulder, rendering the right arm useless.

_"Power hand neutralized... What about his other one?"_

Yujin sidestepped another jab and drove his fist into Hao's ribs. It wasn't a pressure point. But, it would definitely hurt all the same.

_ "And finally, strike the core..."_

Hao shifted his stance, his good arm held in front while the other hung limp at his side. And Yujin took note of this, his opponent was now on edge, the perfect time to go on the offensive. The ex-firebender got in close; preventing him from using any kicks. From there, he launched two jabs at the diaphragm and solar plexus. Using his elbow, he blocked an incoming left hook. This was followed by a palm strike to the throat. Grabbing at the back of Hao's head, he stepped forward. His hip acting as a pivot point, Yujin threw the older man to the ground.

The Chi-blocking instructor flipped himself over and coughed a few times. His voice barely above a strained whisper. "Where'd that come from?"

Yujin helped his master up and chose his next words very carefully. "I suppose I just had a very good teacher"

"Anyway, not bad." Hao clapped a hand on his shoulder. The ex-firebender thought he heard respect in his voice when he spoke, but shook his head. Something like that was simply impossible.

His suspicions were confirmed by Hao shooting a mean look towards the other students. The universal sign for 'Get back to work!'. Sighing to himself, Yujin walked back towards his dummy and started going through the drills again, focusing on the sound of skin hitting the sandbag.

_"First, take out the legs... No escape..."_

_ "Then, the arms... Rob him of his means of attack"_

_ "Finally, paralyze the core..."_

Those were the principles of Chi-blocking and he would use those methods to fight amongst his brothers and sisters for their glorious leader, Amon.

* * *

**AN: Okay, it's more about Yujin's feelings about being a Chi-blocker, my attempts at explaining who to become a Chi-blocker and a fight. Guess, the movie reference and win a prize.**** I'm afraid I'm not very good at writing fight scenes in this style (i.e. Weaponized Sherlock Scan), or in general. So, I'd like to hear what you all think.**


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